Substance use treatment barriers are addressed in a research letter in JAMA Network Open. This study was highlighted in the February 13, 2025, issue of Helio Minute Newsletter.
As noted in a “perspective” commentary accompanying the study,
Of particular concern is the population with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), where many individuals in need of treatment do not seek it. Individuals with untreated OUD face a significantly increased risk for overdose death. Evidence-based treatments with medications like buprenorphine can reduce this risk by 50% to 75%, with benefits extending and accumulating the longer patients remain in treatment.